برچسب: FASE

  • A Beautiful Example of FASE Reading from Jessica Sliman’s Classroom

    A Beautiful Example of FASE Reading from Jessica Sliman’s Classroom


    The joy of reading together…

    I’m really excited to share our newest video clip–a great example of of one of the most important techniques in the TLAC library, FASE Reading. FASE Reading is a technique that supports student fluency and engagement in reading, topics we discuss extensively in the forthcoming TLAC Guide to the Science of Reading.

    The clip comes to us from Jessica Sliman’s 4th grade classroom in Whitefish, MT. It shows 3 and a half minutes of Jessica and her students reading aloud from Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars

    I suspect you will love it as much as everyone on Team TLAC did.

    First, here’s the clip:

     

    Now some things we loved:

    We love her initial framing, “I want you guys to notice moments of suspense.” This shapes student attention.  Learning always starts with attention and directing students to attend to a ‘most important’ thing is one of the most important things a teacher can do. Jessica does a simple and elegant job of it here

    Then they’re off reading.  Jessica goes first. Her reading is beautifully expressive. She’s bringing the story to life modeling how to read meaningfully so that students will copy her. This will them to build the habit of infusing their reading with expression.  Research suggests that this assists with meaning and is likely to translate into better and more expressive silent reading for students.

    Izzy is the first student to read.  she does a really nice job but Jessica pushes her to bring a bit more expression to her reading in a lighthearted and positive way: “How would she say that?” She’s making a norm of expressive reading that models her own. And happily this just increases her students’ enjoyment. Their laughter at Izzy’s portrayal underscores this.

    Hadrian goes next. THere’s a great moment where Jessica drops in a quick definition of the word “prolong”–she’s recognized that students may not know the word and that it’s important. She provides the key knowledge without distracting from the story.

    Hadrian is a pretty good reader but he’s also still developing his expressiveness. So it’s lovely the way she praises him for his “extra expression on “very very frightened.” Again the key is to cause students to practice reading aloud with expression and in so doing improve their fluency and infuse maximum meaning into their reading.  She builds that culture intentionally.

    Next Jessica reads again- moving the story along a bit, keeping it alive and fresh with her own expressive reading–she is after all, the best reader in the class–and modeling again for students how to express meaning as you read. Notice that she’s reading slightly more slowly than her natural rate might be. She’s reminding her class that fast reading isn’t good reading. Expressive reading is.

    Steven reads next. Notice by the way that she calls on students unpredictably to read and that every student she’s called on is ready to read right away. This tells her something critical. Her leverage is high–meaning that she knows now that her students are not just listening but reading along.

    Steven does something really interesting.  He self-corrects, re-reading a sentence of his own volition not because he read it wrong but because he didn’t express its meaning as well as he could have. It’s a very meta-cognitive moment. “Oh, i didn’t capture that quite right.” Interestingly, Jessica doesn’t have to ask him whether he understands this passage. the way that he reads it SHOWS her this. So they can simply keep reading.

    But what a statement about the culture of error Jessica has created! Students willingly and unselfconsciously improve their reading as they go.

    Weston is next.  We love the rhythm of the reading she’s established. Burst of reading are just long enough to allow students to take real pleasure in expressing the text but short enough to allow them to read with maximum success and attention.  The switching feels lively but not disruptive. It balances the need to keep students on their toes–I might be next!--and locked in to the story. Beautiful.

    Gracefully, Jessica steps in on the word cautiously and reads through to the end herself, again with beautiful expression.

    It’s pretty clear that this reading–and that of her students–has had a real effect of her class since they plead to keep reading at the end. “We have to read the next chapter!” one student says urgently. They don’t want to stop!

     

     

     



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  • Steve Kuninsky On Using (FASE) Reading in Science

    Steve Kuninsky On Using (FASE) Reading in Science


    Steve Kuninsky is one of our twelve Cohort 3 Teach Like a Champion Fellows. His cohort began working with our team in December 2022 and just presented their final projects in January. Steve’s final project explored the use of FASE Reading in high school Chemistry at the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology. If you are interested in becoming a TLAC Fellow or know someone who might be a good fit, applications for our fourth cohort are open and available here: https://teachlikeachampion.org/teach-like-champion-fellows/ and are due by May 30, 2025. 

     

     

    In order to become better readers, students need to read, and this is why I chose to study FASE Reading in Chemistry for my Fellows project. FASE reading is a systematic approach to having students read out loud and follow along as others read. The goal is to encourage reading that is Fluent, Accountable, Social, and Expressive.  

     

    For years, I would ask my AP Biology students to read their science textbooks in preparation for class. I was consistently frustrated by the lack of compliance and success with what I thought was a very simple request. 

     

    It turns out my request wasn’t actually so simple. I was asking students to read a college level textbook, understand concepts addressed in the text, and come to class with an understanding of those concepts. At some point, I started wondering if I was asking them to demonstrate mastery of a skill on which they had yet to develop proficiency. 

     

    In order to successfully make meaning from any text, students must read with fluency.  And in order to become fluent readers, they need to practice reading – something they typically don’t do enough of on their own, especially in science classes. What I needed was some way to help my students practice reading fluently in a way that held them accountable to participate, provided effective feedback, and modeled what fluent reading looks like.  

     

    In October 2023, I had the opportunity to attend the TLAC Reading Reconsidered Workshop. I had already experimented with FASE on my own, and this workshop inspired and equipped me to deepen my use of this technique. I had recently shifted from teaching AP Biology to Chemistry, which is a 9th grade course. FASE seemed like a great method for working on reading skills with my freshmen, who I knew would be expected to read a college level Biology textbook the following year.   

     

    What I love most about FASE is that it provides a low pressure/low stakes environment in which students can practice reading while receiving immediate feedback. Those who aren’t reading follow along, listen, and hear feedback offered to their peers.  

     

    Here’s a clip of the first time I used FASE Reading in my class back in August: 

     

    Planning and preparation are key to successful use of FASE. Prior to implementing FASE, explain to your students how they are expected to participate.  The video of my roll out is provided here for reference. One of the most important points to make is that mistakes are normal, expected, and ok – Reinforce that Culture of Error. 

     

    When preparing a text for FASE:  

    1. Plan reading sections and identify who will read each section in advance. Mark your copy of the text to indicate when you will transition between readers.  
    1. Keep reading durations short, but variable. 
    1. Keep readers unpredictable. Avoid going in a specific order that allows students to predict the next reader.  
    1. Intentionally match students to a text. Especially for struggling readers, look to provide a section that will challenge but not overwhelm them.  
    1. Identify what section(s) you will read to model fluency for your students – this is called bridging.  

     

    Here’s the text that I marked up for this first instance of FASE Reading in class. Note that the first sentence is marked for bridging (where I read to model fluency), and slashes indicate where I planned to transition between readers. Questions to ask after certain sentences are written on the document to help me check for understanding of students’ comprehension. I preselect students to read and keep a list of their names on a post-it note; this helps me ensure that I hear a multitude of voices across the classroom, and I can use my knowledge of students to determine which portion of the text I want them to read.  

     

     

    Perhaps at this point, you’re wondering how we got here. Some people think that students aren’t okay with reading out loud together. Right before the clip above, I gave a quick Roll Out of FASE Reading. I told students the purpose of the system and how they should expect to be invited to read and what they should do while peers read.  

     

    See my Roll Out of FASE Reading here: 

     

     

    My biggest takeaway is when reading out loud becomes a regular part of class, when mistakes are normalized, and when successes are celebrated, FASE can become a community building experience.  Your students will feel a sense of enjoyment and belonging as you work together with the common goal of reading fluency.  

     

     

     

    Want to bring FASE Reading to your campus or learn more about Science of Reading? Check out:  

     

    The Teach Like a Champion Guide to the Science of Reading: Translating Research to Reignite Joy and Meaning in the Classroom by Doug Lemov, Erica Woolway, and Colleen Driggs, addresses the pressing challenges educators face in effectively incorporating the Science of Reading into their instruction once students already know how to decode. By offering actionable guidance grounded in seven evidence-based principles, this book helps teachers elevate their instructional practices and better prepare students to be lifelong readers and thinkers. Coming out in late July! Preorder your copy here 

     

    Plug and Plays: Check out our FASE Reading Plug and Play, a fully-scripted professional development session including the PowerPoint slides, videos, handout, and talking points here 

     

    TLAC Online: Teachers can study Ways of Reading, including FASE Reading, in these 15-minute teacher-facing modules that include video, quick reading, and practice here. 

     

     

     



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